It would be an understatement to say the RangersÃ¢â‚¬â„¢star players have to step to the forefront in Game 6.Ã‚Â That is to be expected when a team faces an elimination game.Ã‚Â With the Rangers gaining the last change at home, Tom Renney will have the opportunity to keep Jaromir Jagr away from Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder, as well whatever forward combination Lindy Ruff will use.Ã‚Â

If Jagr is up to the ice time, Renney needs to double and maybe even triple shift Jagr.Ã‚Â This is no time to be saving any bullets in the chamber.Ã‚Â Given the fourth lineÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s inability to capitalize on their scoring chances, more specifically Blair Betts, Renney will have to juggle his lines in order to find some offense.Ã‚Â The only way he doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t do that is if he instructs his forwards to forecheck the daylights out of the Sabres.Ã‚Â In that case, the Blueshirts will need to run four lines.
Ã‚Â
While the Rangers need Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka to shake down their past scoring exploits, the team needs Matt Cullen to step and play as well as he did last year with the Carolina Hurricanes.Ã‚Â In fact the whole Cullen line needs to start producing.Ã‚Â While Cullen, Petr Prucha and Ryan Callahan have drawn praise for their play, they have not been able to translate that play into goals.Ã‚Â
Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â
It is essential that the Rangers open a two-line front against the Sabres.Ã‚Â If a second line can draw some defensive attention away from the Jagr line, the Rangers will have a good chance to put more than one or two dents into the old onion bag.